OMB suspends Tuguegarao mayor over defective boats

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- The Sandiganbayan has placed Mayor Jefferson Soriano here under a three-month preventive suspension for his alleged involvement in the anomalous procurement of defective rubber boats in 2008 and 2009, the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) announced Tuesday.

In Manila, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said graft investigators found that Soriano, then chairman of the bids and awards committee, awarded on Dec. 18, 2009 four separate supply contracts for rubber boats worth P131.5 million.

Upon delivery and inspection, Morales said various defects in the equipment were discovered “which make their use risky to end-users.”

The boats and engines were also not functional when fitted together, rendering them unusable for disaster operation efforts of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The OMB also filed in 2013 graft charges against eight PNP officials for the purchase of alleged defective police rubber boats.

In a separate case, Morales said the Sandiganbayan also ordered the suspension of officials from the Department of Budget and Management, Technology Resource Center and National Livelihood Development Corporation, for their alleged involvement in the anomalous utilization of the Priority Development Assistance Fund of former Benguet Congressman Samuel Dangwa.